This place is simply awful. Â I'll start with the good part - the hostess, Natalia, and the server, Danielle were very pleasant and tried their best. Â Now for the reality. Â The food is terrible, the wine is mediocre, and I just don't get how it could be that bad. Â
Last year I went there for lunch during Dine LA Restaurant Week. Â The menu listed a panini sandwich with salmon, which sounded delicious, so I ordered that for my entree. Â I took a bite and was disgusted to realize it was SMOKED salmon. Â I did not recall anything in the description about it having been smoked, as I hate smoked salmon and would not have ordered it. Â I pointed that out to the server at the time, who assured me it was listed as smoked on the menu, only to return and apologize later and tell me that it was not actually noted on the menu. Â I think that's a pretty important detail for a chef to overlook, as smoked fish tastes nothing like grilled fish does.
This time around, it was again Dine LA Restaurant Week, and I decided to give Obika another shot. Â The $35 for a 3 course meal was a great price. Â My friend and I ordered different items and shared all of them. Â First they brought us a gespachio tomato soup with a side of burrata cheese. Â I didn't care for the soup, and would rather the cheese had just come with some bread. Â Then the apps: Â the proscuitto with cantelope was actually quite tasty, but would have been much better if it came with cheese (isn't this as mozzarella bar?). Â The caprese was bland and dry, as there was not enough oil on the mozzarella, and it was only palatable after I drizzled more onto it, along with some salt and pepper for flavor. Â Then our entrees, which were the worst of all. Â The grilled seabass was completely overdone, dry and tasteless. Â It came with no sauce whatsoever, and a side of dried and overcooked artichokes. Â The pasta dish had a good sauce, but the pasta was completely undercooked and rubbery. Â We pointed this out to Danielle, who kept apologizing and offering to bring me something else instead. Â At that point, we didn't have time (we were catching a movie), and after picking on all the other food, I wasn't hungry enough for another dish. Â We were trying to finish our bottle of red (which we had been told was similar to Pinot Noir - it was called Pinot Nero - but was watery and flavorless, much lighter than a typical Pinot Noir), so next Danielle offered to bring us coffee "on the house", but we just wanted to finish up our wine and go. Â Nothing was taken off of our bill, and we left feeling cheated out of what we thought would be a nice dinner. Â Not only that, but the last item they brought us, which was dessert, my friend had ordered raspberry sorbet. Â They had apparently run out of that flavor, and rather than offering him a different dessert, they brought him lemon sorbet instead. Â Ridiculous!
Mama mia!!
Just had dinner here for the first time and was very satisfied. I was a bit worried this Mozzarella Bar might be a cheesy, pun intended, mall restaurant, but I was totally wrong.
From the moment we walked in the door, the stylish hostess sat us promptly and stayed to make sure my Granny ass wasn't too cold to sit by the door.
Our server Jessica was very knowledgeable about the wine list, which makes this wine-o drunk with happiness. She recommended the 2008 Veronese that danced on my tongue like stripper on a pole!
The bufala mozzarella on the caprese was divine, and the tomatoes were perfectly ripe. (I LOATH white unripened tomatoes)
The Mushroom pizza was perfection, while the Schiaffoni Di Gragnano "Pasta Gentile" left a little to be desired in the flavor aisle.
My Nonna would strike me down from above if I didn't end with the desert trio, so I happily indulged. Tiramisou was deeeelish, Ricotta was sublime, but the choc cake was dry and bland.
To make a great meal even better they VALIDATE parking!! They're one of the ONLY places in the mall to to do and actually pay out of pocket for each customer. BIG points in my book.
I gave Obika 4 Stars for the excellent service Jessica gave us, great food and thoughtful validation.
Italians from Italy, or in other words, a different world here. When I entered the door on a whim, I asked for something that wasn't on the menu that I just happened to be craving (I suppose it was a reasonable request). The owner got his chef to squeeze ten lemons into a juicer, and happy times, I had a fresh lemonade. We ordered some caprese salad with heirloom tomatoes, and I can't say that I've ever had tomatoes this memorably fresh. Mozzarella was the pure creamy white color it's supposed to be. Everything from their prosciutto to cotoletta veal to angus hung from the wall is beautifully cured meat. As I continued to inhale the freshness at the bar, I had a conversation with the salad chef at the bar. Conversation goes far here -- he hooked me up with a few vegetables on the house. These guys know their food, they're not trying to be actors. I was grumbling on the way in because my wife was dragging me, but by the end, I felt like I discovered new salads, cheeses, and a few things about the Italian-American way. #historymaking
Review Source:My stars: Â (5=epic "best of") (4=really tasty and want to go again and again) (3=good and will go back once in a while) (2=fair, might return for a visit if there was some glimmer of hope) (1=avoid at all costs)
Go or No? Â Go.
Tease: Â Obika is an Italian restaurant mostly known for their fresh Mozzarella
Why I went: Â I used to not be a big fan, because they used to only really provide cheese, salads and very minimal meat dishes. Â However, I heard they upper their menu to include pizzas, paninis and other such items. Â So, it was time to try it again!
When: Â 12/4/12
Food: Â I got the soup of the day, a nice vegetable soup that was very fresh and tasty. Â I also got their prosciutto pizza (which included some fresh arugula). Â The pizza was excellent. Â The crust had a nice chew, the sauce was light and tasty, and the toppings from the cheese to the meat were excellent! Â It's about a 12-13" pie...great individual size. Â Â
Service: Â Very good! Â Jessica did a great job helping our table out!
Hints/Final thoughts:  Obika (despite having a very Asian/Japanese-looking name and font) is pure Italian café enjoyment.  They have a full bar and some amazing cheeses.  It's really what they are known for.  Sadly, I'm not a huge fan of burrata and the like, so it's a bit lost on me.  I enjoy a little in a caprese salad or as a pizza topping, but other than that...I'm indifferent.  However, they expanded their menu and literally have something for everyone.  It is really worth a try!
it was long time since I visited this place. all I remember is the special mozzarella ha ah
I can't remember the taste of the mozzarella but I think it was good. However I remember that the pasta was super delicious. The location is inside the century mall, so you have 1 or 2 hours free with validation.
the only thing is that this place is little pricey.
overall I give it B :)
A friend of mine from LA took me to this place after a business meeting and it was amazing. The straight mozzarella appetizers, the pizza, everything was very flavorful and interesting. A lot of Italian food can be boring in my opinion but this was fresh and had a lot of unique flavors. We ordered a variety of items and all shared (there was a group of 10 of us and they were accommodating on fairly short notice). Even the gluten free pizza was great. I highly recommend it especially if you are a foodie.
Review Source:I have eaten here several times since they opened and have always felt the same:
1) Â the food is very specific and usually consistent and 2) service needs improvements.
Well, today June 21 was quite a day at Obika Century City -- the service was off the charts BAD and the food was "ok" to good. To my surprise I was automatically given a 20% credit on my check...and I thought this was a nice touch.
Today I paid cash for my meal -- not that unusual. My change was supposed to be $27.33. Â HOWEVER...hold on to your hats people...I did not receive any "coins" in my change. Instead the manager on duty took it upon herself to "ROUND DOWN" my change to just the $27. Hmmmmm I was surprised. When I asked about being shorted the "33 cents" she curtly informed me that "we do not have coins here". "We round change to the nearest dollar - up or down -- and you got rounded down". When I said in amazement that it was illegal to withhold my change...the manager curtly turned on her heel and walked away.
THIS IS NOT about the 33 cents...it is about the arbitrary decision to ROUND DOWN my change and keep the difference for themselves. I am angry and insulted!
I have to wonder how many people this has happened to -- if anyone even noticed.
So given the system of this establishment...I suppose the next time I am in Obika (NOT) -- or if you go in -- and your bill total comes to $XX.49....I guess its OK to only pay the dollars and not the cents.
After all they don't use coins at OBIKA Century City.
Good luck!
The food and drinks here are great. I would give them 4 stars for their menu.
But their service in particular deserves no more than 2. I've been to this establishment often enough to expect great service, every time. But alas, on a Friday night about 8:30pm we walked in and notified the hostess that we had a dinner reservation. Along with the reservation made, I've noted that we're going to be in a hurry as we are catching a 9:30pm movie next door.
The seating process took almost 10 minutes because the table she had for us wasn't cleaned yet. Once we were seated in the outdoor patio area, literally NO ONE had bothered to come by the table, offer bread, water, drinks, something. Nothing! Now it's 9pm, we've stared at the menu for almost 20 minutes and we haven't even ordered a single drink or appetizer, and the server never came to our table once. We looked around and saw 2 other tables who were also looking frustrated that either their food hasn't come out yet or their server hasn't taken their order. We had a bad feeling about it, so we just got up and walked out, with no one pursuing us to ask if something was wrong, why we were leaving and etc. Apparently they didn't even care that they have neglected us. I don't think that they were understaffed, because there were 2 perfectly healthy servers and a couple of bus boys walking around the outdoor patio, taking away plates and giving people checks. We tried to flag one of them down but no one bothered to look up and acknowledge us.
Would I ever come back here? I'd be crazy to do so. This experience was the equivalent to being put on hold with an automated customer service phone receptionist, with some lame on hold music playing in the background, not knowing how long you would be waiting for or how many times you'd be passed around the line before someone would talk to you.
There is this quote that I read on LinkedIn written by George Anders, a contributing writer for Forbes Magazine. It really hits home for ALL you establishments in the hospitality industry.
"Actually, it's the people in the front of the restaurant -- and behind the bar -- that should command our attention. The more time we spend in the efficient but somewhat soulless world of digital connectivity, the more we will cherish a little banter with wait-staff and bartenders who know us by name. We will pay extra to mingle with other people who can keep the timeless art of conversation alive."
So, I'd noticed this restaurant a number of times, but thought it was just gonna be for appetizers, and I usually want something more substantial. But luckily this time I thought I'd give it a try and then run over to Gulf Stream or the new Seasons 52 for my entree.
I can't express in words how happy I am that I decided to give this place a try. First of all the service was fantastic. I had worked in restaurants for over thirty years, both in the kitchen and in the dining room, and I'm very critical of service. I'll always leave at least a 20% tip if the waiter is at least nice, because I feel that's their responsibility, but I think it's the restaurant's responsibility to train the staff well.
Right from the start the hostess was pleasant, friendly and accommodating. I checked the tables on their patio first, but it was a bit warm for me, so she graciously took me back inside to a table I asked for, which happened to be for 4, simply because I don't like eating next to a wall. I told her I'd be fast, but she assured me there was no hurry. In a town where they won't seat you unless your whole party shows up, and most restaurants would never let a single person sit at a table for 4 even if the restaurant was totally empty (and this place was not remotely empty) I found it incredibly reassuring.
Then my waiter arrived. He was friendly, and just as important, he was extremely knowledgeable about the entire menu. He was a young guy in LA, so I'm sure his life goal is not to be a waiter, but he clearly had the attitude that I'm here, I might as well be the best waiter I can be, and it showed. He guided me to the Chilled Organic Tomato Soup. It was served with a couple of basil leaves (next time I go back I'll ask for chopped basil instead), which I took out, chopped up, and sprinkled back in the soup, and a side of croutons, and most significantly, burrata cheese. OMG (sorry for the lamo abbreviation - but I really don't have the vocabulary) the soup, by itself was a nice interpretation of one of my favorite soups, gazpacho. But taking a bit of the burrata with every spoonful turned this into something I can only describe as orgasmic. I am a self proclaimed foodie, so I make no apologies for loving great food, and if you keep reading you're gonna see that word come up again a couple of times.
Then, since I was in a "mozzarella bar" I had to try one of their mozzarella dishes, and since I already had the burrata the waiter advised me to try the Bufala Classica, which I did, with the cherry tomatoes and basil pesto. OMG, I am not overstating how great this was. If you like mozzarella cheese, this place is for you. Seriously, orgasmic.
Then, the waiter asked if I wanted to try an entree. I was in a quandary. I honestly didn't think it would be possible to equal what I had just eaten and I didn't want to be disappointed, but I was still hungry, and that's just what I told my waiter. He suggested I try the pizza. I'm from NY and I'm very picky about my pizza. He assured me that it was to die for. So, I decided to trust him once again. He advocated for N'Duja y Burrata Pizza and I yielded to his expertise.
Wow. The pizza he endorsed had a very thin crust, topped with a mildly spicy sausage spread (as he explained, this is not a chunky spread, you can barely see that there is any sausage in it at all - but the flavor was perfect) with a hint of tangy spicy tastiness, topped with their sweet burrata cheese. OMG, it was orgasmic. The crust, and this is extremely hard to find in LA, was crispy on the outside, but chewy at the same time. Now, that is very hard to do, especially with such a thin crust.
I finished up with a delightfully light and creamy homemade Tiramisu, which was the perfect ending.
This is the kind of place, that as I was driving back home, I was calling all my friends to tell them about. I insisted that we all have to go there together so I can try more items. Because, right now, all I can think about is going back there and getting the exact same thing. And I just may do it before you get to read this review.
The restaurant is very convenient to the AMC movie theaters in century city. Â Intimate, but still a little mall-y.
The food was ok. Â Nothing exciting. Â Burrata and charcuterie was ok, though the sliced meats did not seem to be of the highest quality. Â The rest of the food, pasta, etc. was adequate.
The service was sub-par. Â For a party of six, four people got their meals while two of us had to wait. Â And wait. Â And wait. Â Finally after watching the others eat, i had to stand up and ask the waiter to bring us some bread so i could at least feel like i'm part of the dinner. Â Mumbled apologies, frustrated sigh from the waiter (indicating it was the kitchen's fault, not his). Â Whatever. Â No apology from the manager; no offering like a free desert or drink or anything...
all in all, i'd probably go back in a pinch if i needed a quick bite before a movie and couldn't get a table at Gulfstream, (which was the case this time). Â maybe.
I've probably walked by this place a dozen times in Century City, thinking to myself "Oh, that sounds like a good place. I'll have to try it." Well, that time came a few weekends ago and a few friends and I just decided to drop in for dinner and I couldn't have been happier with my experience. First of all, the burrata cheese will change your life. It's almost like a religious experience. It doesn't matter if you get it by itself or if it's on the spicy sausage pizza (which I'd highly recommend), it's literally heaven condensed into cheese form. I'm definitely looking forward to my next trip here.
Review Source:Not knowing what to expect, interested instant the restaurant had to off with the name Mozzarella bar hanging above my head.
 Dorian and Jessica are both great to have as service at the restaurant.  Their personable and high in great customer service.  Both were able to let their favorites be known and how extensive wine knowledge.
Order any appetizer with mozzarella of your choice, just make sure it comes with basil pesto. Â It will change your taste buds forever!!!
Lots of vegetarian options too!
Looking forward to going again soon!
Why it took us so long to try Obika we'll never know. We had purchased a $25 deal from restaurants dot com over a year ago (cost $5). Just hadn't gotten around to using it. The mozzarella sampler (two types) was our starter. We chose the burrata and the classica and added tomatoes and pesto. This came with bread, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The mozzarella was creamy, tasty, wonderful. The pesto was to die for. Our entrées were the cured tuna salad and the special ravioli for the evening, mushroom filling with a saffron sauce. These two dishes worked together very well. Perfect portions, no leftovers. Dessert was the Mousse di Ricotta and espresso. Our server's name was Jessica and we couldn't have asked for anyone better. She was on top of everything and paced our meal beautifully. My wife and I both felt that she deserved more than the 18% that was added per the terms of our deal.
We had originally become interested in Obika  one evening after seeing a movie.  Stopping to look at their posted menu we ended up having an extremely pleasant conversation with the owner. He explained how the mozzarella is flown in fresh from Italy, etc.. If you love mozzarella (we do) I highly recommend you try Obika. You won't be disappointed.
If you find yourself craving cheese, wine, and pizza...You need to come here. Â They have a couple places around LA (Century City Mall and Beverly Center). Â
Walking in is just cool. Â Wines, cheeses and fresh ingredients all displayed at the bar. Â Try and take advantage of Happy Hour (4-7) but don't quote me. Â They will have select wines and appetizers at a good price and set you up for a good entree. Â
The service at the Century City Mall was OK. Â We found it hard to ask the server about wines and dishes she recommended. Â We decided on two pizzas (margarita and smoked mozzarella and spicy Italian sausages with peppers). Â
I would recommend you try the smoked mozzarella since its a very distinct taste to see if you like it and go for the HH and try it out!
Cheers!
I stumbled upon this place on route to an event across the way and was happily surprised. The hanging meats/house cure enticed me to stay. I've been back several times and have tried most things on the menu. The highlights here- the burrata, wine list, and pizzas. The quality of the food has always been fantastic and although the menu is in Italian, the staff is always helpful and accommodating w the translation and recommendations.
I'm giving it a 3 bc I think the prices are bit much for the offering and the entrees are not too special- pollo grilio? Interesting location but I'm glad it's here bc it has become my hideaway post-errands/shopping at the Century City mall.
I do not understand the critical reviews though I can't comment on the full menu because I only had the pizza. Â I have to say that their pizza is one of only a very small handful, in the States, that tastes and feels exactly like it does in Italy. Â I actually think they improved upon the traditional pie with some innovative flavor profiles and the quality of their cheese is easily the best I've had outside Europe. Â Tomato sauce is also ranked as my #1 favorite, and that even includes Italy and France. Â So you could say that after my first visit, even though they gave me the wrong pie, I am still a fan.
To be honest, I am shocked this is a chain; it's one of the most authentic Italian pies available outside Italy. Â I'm interested to see if any of the other locations are up to the same standard...
Now, in terms of similar pies, I'd say LIbretto, in Toronto, is in the same category, as is il dolce, in Costa Mesa, CA (USA). Â Urbano Pizza, in downtown Los Angeles, is also similar. Â Each of these mentioned places has a unique spin on the traditional Italian pie but Obika is the purest and most traditional, with the freshest ingredients. Â That's pretty amazing considering that it's a chain. Â I can't recommend it higher, at least in terms of Italian pizza.
The one thing I might say is if you like your pizza a little burnt, with bubbles, a kind of rustic feel, then Urbano or Pizza e Vino, in Rancho Santa Margarita, are better choices. Â But Pizza e Vino is less consistent.
HIGHLIGHTS:
PIZZA AL TARTUFO DI NORCiA - black ham, blue truffle, and cheeeese
I usually make a quick reservation on my OpenTable app, and haven't had problems getting a seat. The reviews by word of mouth on this place are mixed, and I think it's a little pricey for what it is. Â I didn't personally notice a fusion of Japanese meets Italian, but I haven't really paid attention for that. Â
However, there's one thing that I really enjoy here and that I'll likely keep on coming back for: Pizza al Tartufo di Norcia, which is Mozzarella di bufala, ricotta, roasted ham, and black truffle from Norcia. Â At $21, it's a little steep, but perhaps there is better out there, but I really enjoy this and I'm not afraid to admit it! Â Ask for some parmesan and chili flakes on the side.
The waitress upon my last visit was incredibly friendly as is the rest of the staff. Â I'm not sure if this is standard for this dish, but my friend and I both ordered one of those pizzas each and she brought a side plate of arugula for us to sprinkle on top of the pizza. Â That made it even better. Â I've tried a pretty standard burrata in past visits and found it to be, well, pretty standard, so I'll go again specifically for this pizza. Â Check out my photo of it and you'll see why! YUM!
We visited this place for lunch while waiting for our movie time at the local AMC theater. Having just returned from Italy, I have to say this place is as authentic as I can imagine. The fresh Mozzarella melts in your mouth, and is excellently paired with their tomato and green salad. Â Our sandwiches were good, and service was fantastic. Â Since this is the only place I know specializing in this dairy delight, I have to give it high marks.
I returned on a 2nd trip and tried their new pizzas. Â Those were so-so. Â The crust was slightly burnt and toppings were minimal. Â I'll stick to the regular menu instead.
If ratings were based on flavors alone, this place would get 5 stars. Â However, ratings are based on service, price, portions etc. Â and obika was lacking in those areas. Â
I actually ordered delivery tonight at 8:45 and they said it would be at my door in 45 minutes. Â I had to call at 9:51 to see where my order was and then it was another 5 minutes or so before they arrived.
We got the beet and burrata salad ($15), spagetti with pork ragu ($15), and grilled eggplant parmesan ($14). The portion of the salad was ok but the eggplant dish was small and lonely with no pasta or accomaniment. Â The pasta dish was on the small side but it was enough. Â What bugged me the most though, was that this order did not arrive with any bread. If you're going to make great sauce... you've gotta serve some bread!
Interesting menu, very friendly staff, and good beer (which always makes my day). Â I had the squash soup without the cheese on top and it was delicious. Â I was told that I was basically pureed squash with spices and that is exactly what I got. Â You could taste the freshness. Â
They have a full bar as well, which if you've read any of my other reviews you know how much of a fan I am of that. Â It's a nice spot that I'd like to return to and try some pasta.
Super not impressed.... I had a <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Frestaurant.com&s=c5fe485af4df376130bee54f875814d79c4d7913e1258123b1206d2bdbf4873b" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://restaurant.com</a> gift certificate for this place so checked it out with the wife. Â Really dark on the patio, bad service perhaps because 18% gratuity was involved.... but then there's the food. Â It's really expensive, and was generally not good.
First we got a caprese appetizer... well the mozzarella was tasty, but there was not enough of it compared to how many tomatoes were on the plate. Â The tomatoes were half and half really good yellow heirlooms and really typical red tomatoes. Â There were literally only two tiny leaves of basil. Â This was my favorite thing we had.
Wife got some squash soup, which was actually quite good.
Next we had some sort of chicken in a mint pesto covered in very ugly looking artichokes. Â It was bad... like a bad piece of badly cooked chicken "breast" and some bad mint chutney. Â Did I mention it was bad?
Then we had a vegetable pizza. Â No flavor, not even garlic, bad dough... just disappointing.
We won't be going back.
It's sad to see that people give here few stars! They call themselves Mozzarella specialists 9_9. Rate the location than the actual food. From all the celebrity worshiped and famous chef restaurants I've been, the food here is very simple and delicious. Definitely nowhere near low quality.
The mall location, actually is cool, we're talking about Century City Westfield. Night time you're between the skyscrapers. It's a place with character.
This place has food events every month from different regions of Italy. They bring certain foods FROM ITALY (Cheese types, charcuterie). The two times I've been here, there were Italians sitting around us. That says a lot. Needless to mention the Italian ownership.
I've been here twice. Both times left with the best impressions. Great food and great service.
Things that you gotta do:
1. Pick your best friends who love food as much as you do with you to come
2. Sit on the patio
3. Order the platter with Mozzarella & Salami with the pesto, tomato & eggplant sauces & focaccia bread.
4. Order pizza (the 4 cheese, the Truffle, the prosciutto, etc any of them is great).
5. Bottle of their Rose prosecco.
6. 3 dessert sampler (almond chocolate cake, honey Ricotta, tiramisu)
Cappuccinos, teas, and smiles.
tip: a place that has small menu, has fresh ingredients! ;)
Enjoy
xoxo
Probably would not return here. It's a mozzarella bar and the mozzarella was eh..okay. We had the Tasting of 3 Mozzarelle di Bufala for our appetizer: Classica, Affumicata and Burrata. Â The classica was my favorite. Â The burrata was too watery and the affumicata was too bland aside from the mediocre smoking on the skin. For our entrees we ordered two pastas:
the Orecchiette and Cheese Oven-baked Pasta with Trio of Italian Cheeses. Okay. It was basically mac & cheese. Honestly, I would have preferred Kraft.
the Trofie Pasta with Fresh Homemade Basil Pesto. Â I liked this much better. Â Very fresh and light.
I had a glass of the organic Alto Adige Pinot Nero I believe - I liked it. Maybe would return here for a glass of this wine.
Our service I must say, was excellent. Â Although the girl was a tad too enthusiastic for my taste and her Italian was over-pronounced. Â No Italian accent whatsoever until she pronounced the course names and then it was like "whoa, girl - take it down a notch."
Pretty good service I should say, at least, my waitress, Jasmine, she was warm and very cheered up that night. She is pretty friendly and patient while taking our order.
The place got pretty busy after 6pm.
We had the mozzarella tasting paired with prosciutto. The meat is pretty good combined with the cheese. The burrata salad was too salty, the bed of spinach was too much and too much salt in it. The burrata is fresh though. The ravioli that night wasn't that tasty, I feel the pasta was still uncooked at the edge. Dessert was not great either.
Everything was just okay, not very well done, and not a cheap dinner. But I still tipped her 20%, for her very energized spirit.
I have been meaning to do an update on ÅbÃka for a while now. Â I believe my first review of 4 stars was not accurate. I must admit the first time I had bought a deal through a groupon or whatever site, so I'm sure they were bombarded by people using them and the service could have suffered.
Fast forward however many months now and obviously I enjoy this place. I have been back numerous times and will continue to go. The burrata salad did actually, and quite literally change my life. I became addicted and tried (not very successfully) to recreate it at home. But my burrata I purchased was just not up to par with theirs. I love the combo of spinach, beets and burrata. The salad is enormous (enough to share).
I've had plenty of their pastas and I think maybe people react to with "bland" flavor since our diets in the U.S. are saturated in fats, salts and chemicals. To me, especially after cleansing my system for the last month the flavors are incredible and true to how they should be.
The prosciutto is phenomenal, as well as the other meats, but I'm a prosciutto junkie (this coming from someone who now rarely eats meat or poultry).
I, as always, think that we (as a country) need to readjust our portion sizes. Obika does great portions, it's just fatties in our country don't know when or want to stop eating. (Ask a doctor, your stomach is the size of a loose fist... So why then are you stretching it to the size of a cantaloupe?!)
Also went last night for one of their monthly dinner events. Â I had the best time! Â Met awesome people and the place was packed. Â FYI, it was filled with Italians (CUSTOMERS) who spoke in Italian, so I'm gonna say if all of these multiple tables were filled with actual Italians maybe these bad ratings should be re-evaluated. Â
Give it another try and stop complaining about the prices, just because you are at a "mall" doesn't mean it should be the price of McDonald's. Â This is probably the best restaurant there is in Westfield. Â Remember you don't go into the Louis Vuitton store and expect Tilly's prices at Westfield...do you?
Went for lunch with two of my ex-bosses.
The classic mozzarella with prosciutto di Parma was good - I am generally not a fan of prosciutto but this was good. Â Mozzarella is mozzarella; don't expect it to be life-changing. Â I would've opted for the burrata but I was not choosing the appetizer. Â It was also on the expensive side. Â ~$20 for a mozzarella appetizer at lunch, really?
The panini selections are limited (and resemble the mozzarella appetizer) so I got the lamb sausage (salcissa?) panini against my instincts and was proven right. Â But the accompanying cold tomato soup with a swig of olive oil was a winner.
Pasta portions are small but appeared to have good texture.
It feels expensive, but for the location, it's not a bad choice (especially on someone else's dime). Â Easy parking, sunny rooftop. Â I'd go again, on a beautiful, sunny day, again. Â Doesn't seem like a winner for dinner, though.
Nope. Not going here again. You call in an order for pick-up and they tell you it will take 20 minutes. 1 hour later and you're still telling them the same order you called in. It's like their own menu is a mystery to them.
******Addendum August 10 2012******
Since this incident, the restaurant offered us a significant discount on our next order. I was also personally contacted by the restuarant's owner who wished to do everything he could to amend the situation. While my experience was unfortunate, I very much appreciate the restaurant's and it's employees' desire to make good.
This place starts out with a concept that's an immediate win for cheese enthusiasts like myself: fresh Italian mozzarella, showcased through tastings, pairings, and entrees. If you come here just for the cheese, you won't be disappointed.
The four of us started with the Tasting of 3 Mozzarelle di Bufala: Classica, Affumicata and Burrata. All of these were terrific (the affumicata, or smoked mozzarella, will stay with you for hours!). Paired with the Selezione di Salumi, or cured meats (the prosciutto being the hands-down favorite), this was a fantastic sampling of one of my favorite cheeses on the planet.
The rest of our meal, however, left something to be desired. All of us got either pasta or pizza, and we all felt a little let down. Italian pasta entrees are variations on a theme of flour, salt, eggs, olive oil + sauce, and our dishes were almost all undercooked. We also had one dish, the pizza, come out a good 5 minutes before everything else -- this created some awkwardness to the table that was unnecessary.
Obika has some great things going for it, including hosting reservations through OpenTable and partnering with <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2FRestaurant.com&s=0aab4cbd731f3d3b0d1453050d3abc56a8c80bd214e25469c7555b750dca8a51" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://Restaurant.com</a>, but it's the updates to the pasta and improvements to the service that could most benefit this restaurant.
I came here for the cheese, and in that respect, was not disappointed. Â We had the sampler of three cheeses: Â Classica, Affumicata and Burrata. Â All three of these cheeses were divine, and I could have eaten the whole plate by myself- but I unfortunately had to share. Â
The smoked mozzarella tricked me into thinking it was coming from the grill, and the classic was mouthwateringly simple, yet perfect. Â We paired this with the cured meats, and they all went together in a wonderful way- the prosciutto being my favorite.
We also ordered three entrees and a pizza, and had a totally different experience. Â I am always reserved when it comes to paying for Italian dishes because of the simplicity, and here I feel that I was totally justified in that sentiment. Â All of our pastas were undercooked (even less than al dente), and they brought out the pizza about 5 minutes before the pasta dishes, which is a total failure on the service side. Â I'd say 1-2 stars on the food service portion of our meal.
Overall, I would definitely recommend coming here to try out their cheeses, but other than that, I would give Obika a pass. Â
3 Stars.
Really wasn't too pleased with a lunch here. Â Had the burrata and cherry tomatoes to start and they pile on a TON of tomatoes but they are just bland, nothing special. Â They could have been dressed or something to bring out a better flavor. Â Next we split 3 pastas, the pesto, the pork ragu and a tomato one. Â Biggest complaint would be that tomato based sauces were waaaay too sweet. Â Like, WTF, did you add sugar? Â Just not something I have ever had at an Italian place before. Â Best part was that we signed up for the reservation through a new service called Savored which got us 30% off. Â That made it a little better. Â
Oh yeah, one last thing, they brought our pastas out (2 dishes) and my wife asked for extra parm, (Like any other place on the planet would give or offer to you with pasta) to which we were told would be $3?!?!?! Â I know you're a cheese place but seriously? Â Brutal.
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